


A Question of Lust

by clocksworks



Series: Pizza-verse [1]
Category: Depeche Mode
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:34:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24408880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clocksworks/pseuds/clocksworks
Summary: Martin and Fletch are too busy arguing to answer the door, so it's up to Dave to rescue the poor pizza delivery guy.
Relationships: Andrew "Fletch" Fletcher/Martin Gore, Dave Gahan/Alan Wilder
Series: Pizza-verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772191
Comments: 26
Kudos: 34





	1. Pizza Delivery

**Author's Note:**

> So this happened when [Fielding](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fielding/pseuds/Vernon) and I were talking about involving poor Dave and Alan in cheesy porn scenarios like seducing the pizza delivery guy or the plumber. This is a modern AU where they're all uni students. Proceed with caution and a sense of humour (because it's really just silly gratuitous porn). Originally posted on Another Black Day.
> 
> Edit: I need to link to this [awesome, awesomely magnificent piece of fanart](https://pinksyndication.tumblr.com/post/621232771152691200/fanart-for-a-dilder-fic-im-reading-its-so) that the very talented [Pinksyndicate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinksyndicate) made of the very first scene where Dave and Alan met. They got Alan's fury 100% down pat!
> 
> PinkSyndicate made [another piece of gorgeous fanart (NSFW)](https://pinksyndication.tumblr.com/post/621407842503688192/another-fanart-from-my-current-fave-fic-i-rly), my heart is so full!
> 
> Another edit: the equally lovely [what_could_have_been](https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_could_have_been) also did some fantastic and delicious fanart of [Dave's and Alan's first kiss](https://what-could-have-been.tumblr.com/post/621736554937876480/kiss-kiss-i-did-this-as-a-depiction-of-a-scene-in). Still can't get over how amazing it is!

When the bell rang, nobody heard it at first because the flat was in utter pandemonium. Martin and Fletch were having a massive row about who was responsible for leaving the door open and letting the cat get out, and Dave was busy trying to turn up the volume on the Clash record to drown out their petty argument. It was only when the ringing had turned to angry thumps on the door that Dave finally sat up, glancing at his watch. It was too early for the pizza bloke, so maybe it was Daryl, coming around to have a word with Mart.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see an unfamiliar guy in a brown jacket, his dark wet hair plastered to his face, lips pressed together thinly in annoyance. His eyes were blazing with barely controlled irritation. Dave managed to tear his gaze away from them to glance down at the damp pizza carton in his hands, then realised that the pizza bloke was indeed early. It had also started raining outside, but he hadn't noticed because of the noise.

"Your bell broken?" Pizza Bloke said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he shoved the box into a stunned Dave's hands.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry, mate." Dave gestured vaguely at the pizza guy's soaked jacket and wet hair. "It's raining outside?"

Pizza Bloke rolled his eyes. "Check out the big brain on--" he paused, glancing at the chit, "--Fletch. You must be Fletch, aren't you?"

"No." Dave felt slightly miffed. All he had done was to answer the bloody door, and now he had to contend with a load of attitude. "How much?"

Pizza Bloke was now mopping at his face with a handkerchief. "Six pound, fifty," he said curtly. But the misery on his face was obvious. Dave suddenly couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He looked about the same age and was probably a uni student like the rest of them, forced to take on this horrid job to pay his way through school.

Dave fished out a ten pound note, then handed it to him. "Here, keep the change."

The surprise in Pizza Bloke's eyes was gratifying. "Really?"

"Yeah, go ahead. I'm sorry we made you wait. And that you got caught in the rain."

Pizza Bloke shrugged, not really meeting Dave's eyes. "I was a bit of an arse there, wasn't I?"

Dave scratched at his nose, balancing the pizza box against the door jamb. "We've all had our shite days." He opened the door a bit wider. "Want to come in and dry off a bit?" He winced as the yelling had now escalated to something amounting to screaming. "Sorry about those two, lover's tiff and all that."

For the first time, Pizza Bloke smiled, and Dave suddenly realised that he looked a hundred percent better when he smiled. Like he had a secret to share with you, and it was possibly quite filthy. "Eh, beggars can't be choosers."

Dave grinned as he opened the door wider to let Pizza Bloke in. "Trust me, I'd choose to be anywhere but here at this point." He set the pizza down on the stained coffee table and closed the door, cringing when something thudded against the wall of the master bedroom - most probably Fletch's beloved glass ashtray, from the sounds of it. The ensuing howl of outrage from the room confirmed this, and Dave quickly tugged the amused Pizza Bloke into his own room before the brawl spilled out into the living room as well.

Dave's room was tiny, big enough only to fit a single bed, a dodgy wardrobe from IKEA and a second-hand desk that his mum and sister had bought for him, somewhere beneath the mess of papers and lecture notes. Rummaging in the wardrobe, he pulled out a clean towel and tossed it to the pizza guy, who caught it deftly and began drying his hair, looking around Dave's room. "Nice place."

"Little better than a closet." Dave sprawled out on the bed, his back resting against the headboard as he pulled out a pack of cigs, shaking one out. "You're being polite, aren't ya?"

Pizza Bloke's lips twisted up in a smirk. "Smart one, aren't you?"

Dave magnanimously took a bow. "I try my best." He flicked the lighter a few times before the flame flickered into life, lighting his cig. "Want one?"

"Maybe later." Pizza Bloke seemed to be distracted by a poster of Kraftwerk that Dave had tacked up above his desk. "You like 'em?"

"Can't get enough." Dave studied him intently. Pizza Bloke's profile was quite striking, and Dave imagined that the little secretive smile he had glimpsed earlier was responsible for causing lots of girls to swoon. "Hey, um. What's your name?"

Pizza Bloke was finally done toweling his hair, dark tufts of it sticking out every other way. Dave was reluctant to use the word, but it did make him look almost _adorable_ , like a puppy just out of the bath. "I'm Alan."

Dave nodded with a smile. "Dave. Not Fletch, by the way."

"Which one's Fletch?"

"The one who screamed like a banshee when his ashtray was tossed against the wall."

Alan chuckled. "And who's he fighting with?"

"Martin. It's a regular occurrence, so don't get your knickers in a twist."

However, Dave almost choked when Alan started unbuttoning his jeans and peered downwards. There was the quickest flash of his bare arse. "I'm not wearing knickers. Or anything else, for that matter."

"Cheeky." Dave had managed to recover by the time Alan was buttoning them back up, wiggling his eyebrows at him. "No one wants to see that." The lie came out smoothly enough.

"Well too bad, because I'm all wet." Alan had shrugged off his jacket and was now taking off his t-shirt, revealing a pale, lean, smooth torso. "Can I dry my stuff on your heater?"

"Knock yourself out, mate." Dave was content to stay right where he was, talking to this strange, half-naked guy whom he was oddly very comfortable with even if they had met barely ten minutes ago. Nonchalantly blowing out smoke rings, he watched Alan drape his damp jacket and tee over the radiator. Smoke rings were a specialty, one he had learned to impress girls. He had no idea if it worked the same way with blokes. Now Alan was toweling his body dry, looking a lot less grouchy and far more approachable. He had a hint of a smile as he glanced over at Dave.

"Bet you feel awkward," he said. "Having a half-naked stranger in your room."

"I know I'm going to sound like a complete nutter." Dave took a long, deep drag before puffing out a cloud of smoke. "But I feel like I know you from somewhere."

"Maybe." Alan shrugged. "My ex-girlfriend was a New Age clairvoyant nut. She believed in all this past life and reincarnation bollocks. Maybe in our past lives, we fought in a war side by side or something."

"Maybe we played in a band together." Dave was grinning widely at him.

"Or maybe, just maybe," Alan said mysteriously, "I've delivered pizza to you before."

"I doubt so." Dave shook his head with a laugh, carefully considering what he was going to say before deciding to just go ahead and bloody say it. "I _definitely_ would have remembered someone like you."

Alan didn't say anything for a long while, just slinging the towel around his neck thoughtfully. "Can I have that cigarette now?" he said at last.

Dave didn't know what to make of his reaction, but he was glad as long as it was anything but a black eye or broken nose. He was about to reach for his pack of cigs when Alan stepped forward, removing the cigarette dangling from Dave's lips and bringing it up to his own mouth.

Then, keeping his eyes fixed on Dave's, he slowly took a deep drag, then turned slightly to blow the smoke away from Dave's face.

There was the slightest thrill in the idea of Alan putting his mouth right where Dave's had just been. Dave licked his lips, which drew Alan's gaze downwards to rest on his mouth. Alan was leaning forward, so close now that Dave could see the little goose pimples on his arms from the cold. Dave hooked a finger in the belt loop of Alan's jeans, tugging him down slowly, slowly.

Alan followed.

The first brush of Alan's lips against his was fucking electric. Then Alan smiled against his mouth before tilting his head and claiming Dave's mouth in a slow, possessive kiss, his tongue sliding in with cool, confident finesse. Dave couldn’t help moaning into his mouth, raking his fingers through Alan’s soft, towel-dried hair. In the background, he was vaguely aware of Martin and Fletch still yelling, but he couldn’t care less about what they were shouting at each other. He made a small noise of protest as Alan broke off the kiss, but only to climb onto the bed so he could straddle Dave. There was a shared smile before the kiss quickly resumed, Dave’s tongue battling with Alan’s for dominance, and the bastard seemed to enjoy this, smiling into their kiss and cupping Dave’s face with his hands.

“What’s so funny?” Dave asked a little breathlessly, when Alan pulled back for air.

“One of your mates just called the other a cocksucker,” Alan said with a grin. “And the other just said, ‘Well Mart, it’s the truth, innit?’ I just thought that was hilarious.”

Dave couldn’t help snickering, although it was hard not to get distracted by the way Alan had now bent his head and was slowly kissing his neck. “It...is funny...” Dave let his hands roam slowly up and down that smooth back, tracing the knobbly line of Alan’s spine, his hips thrusting up into Alan’s. “Fuck, don’t stop doing that...”

“Dave?” There was a tentative knock on the door, then a pause. It sounded like Martin’s voice. “Dave, you in?” A much louder knock this time, one that he couldn’t ignore.

Alan’s hands stilled, although his mouth was still doing delicious things to Dave’s neck. “Tell him to go away,” Alan murmured against his skin, in between kisses. Since he refused to budge, his hips were still firmly pinning Dave to the bed. Not that he had any complaints, of course, about being trapped under Alan’s thighs, his erection clearly rubbing against Dave’s stomach through his jeans. 

Dave couldn’t help reaching out, stroking Alan’s cock through the rough denim, making Alan moan against his shoulder. They were getting hot and heavy now. 

The knocking at the door continued, unabated. Dave groaned in frustration. “He’ll keep knocking, that persistent little wanker.”

“Blow him off,” Alan said, lifting his head so that his mouth was right beside Dave’s ear, his voice low and smooth and persuasive. “I’ll make it worth your while.” His tongue flicked at Dave’s ear, causing him to shiver with barely controlled lust. His hand had slipped under Dave’s t-shirt, and his thumb was slowly rubbing at Dave’s pebbled nipple, and he suddenly really, really wanted Alan to put his mouth there.

“Dave?” The rapping on the door was more insistent now.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Dave gave Alan a quick, fierce kiss before reluctantly pushing him off and getting up from the bed. Alan was now leaning back, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Dave placed a finger against his lips, tipping him a wink before opening the door only a few inches of the way.

A red-eyed Martin was staring at the floor, rubbing his nose. He tried to smile when he saw Dave. “Um, sorry you had to hear all that.”

“S’okay.” Dave was trying to act as nonchalant as possible, keeping his lower body hidden behind the door so he could hide his obvious erection. “You alright, mate?”

“Yeah. It’s just-” Martin heaved a loud sigh. “Fucking Andy, you know? He can be such a stubborn arsehole.”

“I know,” Dave said. He had probably had far more arguments with Fletch than Martin had. “You lads sorted things out, then?”

“I don’t know. Fuck, are you busy? I’m not disturbing, am I?” Martin tried to peek into the room.

“Um, well. Actually-.” Dave almost panicked at the thought of Martin spotting a half-naked Alan on his bed, but to his surprise, the bed was empty. Then he felt someone tugging at his jeans, and he glanced down quickly. Alan’s bright, mischievous eyes glinted up at him from where he was crouching behind the door on his knees, in front of Dave. “Uh, Mart, maybe you could come back later?”

“Sorry, sorry. I probably woke you up, yeah?” Martin was shaking his head apologetically. “Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I’m going out to look for Miffles.”

“Sure, sure.” Dave’s eyes widened at the metallic sound of a zip being tugged down, and he coughed loudly to mask it. Still, Martin seemed too upset to notice. Dave felt bad for trying to get rid of his friend when he obviously needed to get something off his chest, but his guilt instantly vanished when he felt Alan’s quick fingers unbuttoning his jeans and pushing aside his briefs, freeing Dave’s aching cock from the confines of his underwear.

“I mean, Fletch never feels guilty about neglecting Miffles,” Martin explained with a sigh. “He forgot to feed her yesterday!”

Dave’s fingers tightened on the door knob as he felt Alan’s lips wrap around the tip of his cock. “Oh, Christ!”

“I know, right?” Martin gave him a wan smile. “It’s really irresponsible of him.” He looked at Dave closely. “You alright? Your face is so red.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Dave was breathing heavily now as he fought to keep his hips from thrusting forward into Alan’s warm mouth. He let his other hand drop down, sliding a hand into Alan’s hair, tugging on it a little just to feel Alan moaning around his cock. The little vibrations, as well as Alan’s teasing tongue, were driving him crazy. “Uh Mart, actually I’m not feeling too good, maybe I ought to lie down for a bit.”

“Oh. Um, okay.” Martin was nodding, looking a little unsure. “I should be going out to look for her anyway. Take care, mate.”

“Alright.” Dave couldn’t close the door fast enough before yanking Alan to his feet and shoving him up against the wall, mouth seeking mouth, both of them kissing frantically while his fingers were fumbling to unbutton Alan’s jeans. He didn’t know what he wanted, exactly, but all he knew was that if Alan wasn’t naked in his tiny single bed in the next 90 seconds, he was going to spontaneously combust and die, and it would all be Martin and Fletch’s fault.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Alan was panting, his eyes hooded, his hands warm on Dave’s chest.

“No more waiting, you bastard,” Dave hissed at him. “You couldn’t even wait until Mart left! What if he saw you?”

Alan quirked an eyebrow at him. “He could always join in, y’know.” He was laughing at the black look on Dave’s face. “I’m just taking the piss, relax.” Now there was that sultry look in his eyes again, the look that made Dave feel like he was possibly the only person in the world Alan was interested in, and Alan was planning to take his own sweet time to explore every inch of Dave’s body. He brushed his lips against Dave’s chin, and Dave couldn’t help tilting his head the few more inches required for his mouth to brush against Alan’s.

The kiss was a lot slower now, and Dave had all the time he wanted to explore Alan’s mouth, sweeping his tongue over the roof of it, learning exactly how Alan tasted like; clean, sharp with the tiniest tinge of menthol from the shared cigarette earlier. Alan had managed to wedge a knee between Dave’s legs and he couldn’t help grinding against it, moaning at the delicious friction against his aching erection. His brain was trying to get him to realise that they could have a lot more fun writhing about on his tiny bed instead of being crammed behind the door like this, but Dave liked having Alan up the wall like this, trapped under his body, all for him to taste and explore.

As they pulled apart for breath, Alan’s eyes darted towards the bed. “Come on.” His hand was on Dave’s chest, pushing him backwards towards it until the back of Dave’s knees hit the mattress. “I think we’ll be more comfortable here.”

“I was plenty comfortable where I was,” Dave said with a smirk, his hands running down Alan’s stomach until they hovered at the waistband of his jeans, flicking open the button and dragging the zip now. Alan watched him, his breathing shallower and harsher, and Dave could see his cheeks were flushed with arousal now. 

“I know,” Alan said, his voice a little husky. “But I want you under me.” His hand had slid into Dave’s hair, tugging on it gently and making him gasp. “Writhing under me. _Begging_.”

“Oh, fuck,” was all Dave said before Alan’s mouth claimed his, and with a sneaky manoeuvre of Alan’s hips pushing against his, they both tumbled onto the bed, a mass of tangled limbs and undone jeans. Dave was eager to get his off and just rub against Alan, who thankfully seemed to have the same idea. He paused and bent down to remove the offending garment, then undid Dave’s as well and began to tug it off. Dave lifted his hips to help him, then tossed away his t-shirt. Now they were both naked, and Dave liked what he saw. Alan’s skin was pale and white all over, and he had very little body hair, like Dave himself.

Alan was now smirking down at him. “Still window-shopping?”

Dave huffed out a breathless laugh, which turned into a gradual moan as Alan lowered his body so that they were pressed skin to skin, and he could feel the heat of Alan’s erection pulsing against his stomach. “Think I’m ready to make a purchase.”

“Good,” Alan said, his mouth searching out Dave’s for another kiss as he rubbed his thumb against Dave’s left nipple. “Fuck, you taste so good,” he murmured against Dave’s mouth.

Dave couldn’t help grinning as Alan’s mouth moved down, pressing kisses along his collarbone. “I still haven’t gotten to taste you yet. You’re not being fair.”

Alan lifted his head, his hair mussed in the sexiest way. “There’s always next time,” he said calmly, but the promise was clear in his eyes.

A thrill went through Dave at the thought of doing this again. And again. And again, if Alan was up for it. He was going to have to order a lot of pizzas, at this rate.

However, all thoughts of pizza flew out of his mind the moment Alan wrapped his long fingers around Dave’s cock, making his hips arch up towards Alan’s grip. Alan huffed out a chuckle before bending down, his mouth latching onto Dave’s nipple and sucking on it greedily, his tongue running around and around the stiff little nub. Dave was quite sure he was shouting a multitude of curses now, not giving a bloody damn whether Fletch and Mart were still in the flat. With Alan’s warm, wet mouth on his nipple and his hand beginning slow, lazy strokes up and down Dave’s aching erection, he was going to really explode and die from the multiple assault on his senses. He raised his head to look, enjoying the view of Alan taking his time to lavish attention on Dave’s nipples, looking up at Dave through his lashes.

Dave could already feel Alan’s cock pressing against his hip, urgent and insistent, leaving a smudge of fluid on his skin. “Wait,” Dave said, batting Alan’s hand away, and he yanked Alan up so that their bodies were aligned from head to toe. It was a good thing they were almost the same height. Winking at Alan, who was watching Dave with a kind of impatient amusement, Dave licked his palm before wrapping a hand around both their cocks, and both men groaned at the sinful sensation of velvet skin rubbing against velvet, Dave beginning a deliciously slick slide up and down as they both started to pant.

“Fuck, so good,” Alan managed, before his mouth sought out Dave’s and they were kissing, sloppy and slow and open-mouthed. Alan’s hips were thrusting against Dave’s in a way that made Dave yearn to be fucked by him, but he neither had any lube or condoms in his room at the moment, not even a jar of Vaseline. So this would have to do, for the meantime.

“Feels....fuck,” Dave breathed out, his hand getting slicker with their precome and sweat, and now Alan was kissing his neck again, muffledly moaning Dave’s name repeatedly like a mantra. The sensation of their cocks rubbing together was so mind-blowingly hot that Dave almost didn’t notice the hand slipping down past his balls and circling his entrance, but his eyes widened when he felt a finger slip in.

“Oh, Jesus.” He couldn’t help it, the idea of Alan being inside him even in a small way was driving him crazy. 

“You fucking like that,” Alan said breathlessly with a grin, his eyes so dark with lust that they were almost black. He gave an extra hard thrust against Dave’s hips, causing his cock to slip out of Dave’s grip and bump against his stomach. “You want me to fuck you.”

“Fucking right.” Dave couldn’t hold back his moans anymore, closing his eyes and arching his neck up, smiling when he felt Alan’s tongue licking his Adam’s apple. Alan was thrusting against him so hard and fast now that the tiny bed was beginning to rattle. If Alan was fucking him, it probably would have disintegrated by now, and even then, they’d probably just continue to go at it in the rubble, their slick and sweaty bodies stubbornly entwined together.

“I will,” Alan said, and he sucked on Dave’s collarbone, letting out a harsh moan before he gave one final thrust, and Dave felt a spurt of warmth on his belly and his hand, which was even more slick now with Alan’s come. The thought of Alan coming all over him like that was enough to send Dave over the edge, and he gave a few final pulls on his own cock before his hips arched up, coming all over Alan’s stomach and part of his thigh. Alan was just watching this with his lips parted, still panting from the exertion, two spots of colour high on his cheeks. He looked like he had just been fucked.

“Oh, Christ.” It was only now that Dave realised his legs were splayed apart in an awkward fashion to accommodate Alan on top of him, and it was beginning to hurt. As Alan rolled off him, Dave gingerly brought his knees together again with a wince. They lay there for a few moments, just panting and coming down from the high, covered with sweat and come. It was rather awesome.

Dave felt something tickling his hair, and realised Alan was stroking his fringe. He looked sleepy and calm and satisfied, his lips twisted up at the side in that same secretive smile Dave had seen earlier. Now that he had been given a glimpse of what that smile potentially beheld, he wanted more. And more. And, yes, fuck, more. He rubbed against Alan’s hand like a cat, grinning when Alan chuckled a little huskily. “That was fun.”

“Fuck no, Mario Kart is fun. That was downright filthy.” Dave raised his head with a laugh, tracing a pattern on Alan’s chest. He always felt sleepy and exhausted after coming, but now he was worried that if he nodded off, Alan would be gone when he woke up. “Do you do that with every delivery?”

When Alan pushed himself up on his elbows, Dave wondered if he had gone too far with that joke, but to his relief, Alan was still smiling that mysterious little smile. “No,” he said simply, and that was enough. Dave knew he was telling the truth, and there was an odd, surreal little moment where he thought that this might not just be a simple one-time occurrence, and he sensed that Alan might be just thinking the same thing, from the contemplative look on his face.

Their thoughts were interrupted by a low rumble from Alan’s stomach, which made both of them laugh. “Fuck, what the hell was that?”

Alan looked sheepish. “Been a while since I ate.”

Dave stretched for a good minute before forcing himself up into a sitting position, retrieving an old t-shirt and wiping himself clean. “Come on, then. There’s pizza outside.”

Alan wrinkled his nose. “I’m a bit sick of it, but beggars-”

“-can’t be choosers, yeah, I know.” Dave tossed his t-shirt at Alan, who looked at it with reluctance. “There’re some wet wipes in the drawer beside the bed.”

Alan rummaged through the drawer, and he chuckled before bringing out a jumbo pack and looking at Dave enquiringly, holding it up.

“What do you expect? I’m a single bloke,” Dave said, laughing even though he could feel his face heating up in a flush. Alan shrugged before using them to clean himself, while Dave put on his clothes first.

As Alan was buttoning up his jeans and putting on his clothes, Dave poked his head out to check if the coast was clear. The flat was silent. Martin was probably out still looking for the cat, and Fletch was nowhere to be seen. The pizza box was still on the corner table where Dave had left it earlier, cold and neglected. Still, Dave's stomach rumbled at the sight of it. All that rolling around with Alan had given him quite an appetite.

He felt Alan's breath on the nape of his neck. "Is it safe to come out?"

"Not yet." Dave turned around, grabbing Alan's head in both hands and gave him a thorough, searching kiss, his arousal spiking again as he felt Alan's tongue greedily invading his mouth. Even when he pulled away, Alan wouldn't release him, and they kissed until they were good and breathless again, panting against Dave's door. "Okay, now you can come out."

Alan was smirking as he followed Dave out to the messy living room. "That was the most interesting toll I've ever had to pay."

Dave grinned at him. "You could always overpay. No one's going to lodge a complaint, I assure you."

At the mention of the word 'complaint', Alan's eyes widened and he glanced at his watch. "Fuck. I should have been back at the restaurant at least half an hour ago."

"Oh shit." Dave glanced at the clock, concerned. "You need to make a move now?" As worried as he was about Alan getting fired, he wasn't quite ready to let him walk out the door without at least having a chat, or hopefully, a promise to meet up again soon.

Alan seemed to consider this before shrugging it all off. "Oh fuck it, I'll just say my Vespa broke down."

"You have a Vespa?" Dave was now opening the pizza box and yanking out a slice of cold pizza, offering it to Alan. The bloke didn't have a right to be so interesting, even after Dave had gotten him into his bed. "Hipster pizza bloke, are you?"

"The best." Alan winked at him as he accepted the slice, and they ate in silence for a while, both of them unexpectedly ravenous. If there was anything better than cold pizza after making out with the hot pizza delivery bloke, Dave wasn't interested. He was wondering if there was any way he could ask Alan whether he wanted to hang out again, without sounding clingy. Was it normal to want this again, especially with someone he barely knew?

"You know," Alan said slowly. "My band is performing this Saturday night, at Club Bastille." He lifted a shoulder in a shrug, seemingly nonchalant. "I mean, I saw you like Kraftwerk and we're a little like them, so if you're not busy--"

"Yeah." Dave admonished himself for sounding a little too eager. "I mean, yeah, sure. I reckon I should be free."

"Alright then." The smile Alan gave him was so warm and sincere. "I’ll try to swindle a few pints off the owner.”

Dave laughed. "Looking forward to it.”

Once Alan finished the pizza, he chased it down with a glass of orange crush that Dave offered him, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Fuck, I'd better go." He didn't rush off immediately though, backing Dave against the door and claiming his mouth in a final, plundering kiss. Dave was dizzy at the taste of Alan mingled with the sweetness of the orange soda, and their kiss was getting urgent again. Alan reluctantly broke it off, regret in his eyes. "I'll see you Saturday. If you can make it, I mean."

"Yeah, sure." Dave opened the door, passing Alan his jacket which he slipped on. His clothes were almost dry, but the rain had already stopped outside so it didn’t matter. Alan gave him one last smile, then a nod.

“See you about.”

“Ta.” And then he was gone.

***

Dave spent the next few days thinking up of excuses to call for pizza again. Martin had just gotten his cat back and was too busy fussing over her to bother with food, and Fletch was sulking and not really wanting to splurge on pizza. So Dave bided his time, thinking that it was only four more days until he could see Alan again on Saturday night.

However, by Thursday, he simply couldn’t wait anymore and called the restaurant to order a small pizza, which was about all he could afford, really. He couldn’t quite keep still as he waited for the doorbell to ring, earning odd looks from Fletch who was trying to study for his econs exam. 

Dave couldn’t move fast enough when the doorbell did ring, and he eagerly opened the door, expecting to see that odd, secretive little smile again. However, his stomach plummeted when he realised it was a Chinese bloke standing at the door, looking expectantly at him. “I have a Hawaiian pizza for a Dave Gahan?”

“Oh.” Dave frowned, reaching for his wallet. “Um, where’s the regular guy? Alan?”

The Chinese delivery man frowned. “Which one? There are lots of us.”

Dave held up a hand around his height. “As tall as me, longish brown hair, grey eyes...um, quite sarcastic...”

“Oh.” The Chinese man rolled his eyes. “The one who can’t seem to give a straight answer to anything. He got fired.”

Dave was stunned. “What happened?”

“Received a complaint, I think. Then he argued with the restaurant manager. Idiot.” The Chinese bloke chuckled, taking the money from a blinking Dave and passing him the change. “Here you go mate, have a nice night.”

“Yeah, you too.” Dave brought in the pizza box, still in a daze, and he was only vaguely aware of Fletch staring at him curiously.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. Just found out our regular pizza bloke got fired.” Dave was staring down at the box. Did Alan get fired because of him? 

“Good,” Fletch said with a scoff. “Probably because of the complaint I made against him.”

Dave turned towards Fletch, his eyes wide. “Wait, what?”

Fletch pushed his glasses further up his nose. “Yeah, didn’t Mart tell you? I called in to complain a few days ago. When the delivery bloke sent our pizza, he just abandoned the box – which was wet, mind you – at our door and took off. Probably had a few slices too, because when I got back, it was almost all gone, and Mart said he didn’t have any.”

Dave just stared at him, speechless. It was a good few minutes before he finally found his voice. “You what?”

Fletch sat up, looking offended. “Hey, don’t blame me, it’s not my fault the bloke didn’t do his job.”

“I ate the pizza, you idiot!”

Fletch’s frown deepened in the middle of his forehead. “But it was almost all gone! I didn’t think you ate _everything_!”

“You--” Dave chucked the pizza box onto the table, fuming as he turned to get his coat. “I’m going for a fucking walk.”

As he opened the door and stepped out, he could hear Fletch grumbling, “Bloody hell, what is it with the lot of you?” before Dave slammed the door behind him, stuffing his hands into his pockets and stalking out.

***

Saturday was more nerve-wracking for Dave than ever, because now he didn’t know if Alan would still want to speak to him. He knew that he shouldn’t really care if some random bloke he had slept with just once still wanted to be friends, but for some reason, Dave was really just bothered by the whole thing. He just didn’t like the idea of anyone thinking badly of him, especially for something that wasn’t his fault. Also, Alan had seemed really cool, and Dave had thought that they might have been good friends.

The sex was a nice little bonus, of course.

As Dave made his way into the crowd at Club Bastille, he craned his neck to try and get a good look at the stage. The music was already playing, and Dave could see Alan on stage with another man, both of them nodding along to the pulsing beat. The other bloke was fiddling with a laptop that had a berth of wires, all connected to the sound system, while Alan was playing the keyboards, an intense look of enjoyment on his face. Dave listened to the music, which was really rather catchy and quite Kraftwerk-ish. The crowd was enjoying the music too, and Dave overheard a group of girls talking about Alan and giggling among themselves.

The band played about four more songs, then Alan and the other bloke stepped forward and took a bow to much applause from the rowdy crowd. A DJ had stepped in to continue the music, spinning some indie now. Dave watched Alan wipe his face with a towel, talking animatedly to his band mate and nodding, looking pleased.

About twenty minutes later, Dave managed to catch up to Alan, who was waiting at the bar for drinks. “Hey,” he said, and Alan turned around. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he realised it was Dave.

“Hi.” This tone was cordial enough, but still distant. “Glad you made it.”

“Listen,” Dave said, placing a hand on Alan’s shoulder. “Can I borrow you for a minute?”

Alan seemed to consider this, then nodded his assent. After he collected his drink, which looked like a vodka tonic, he followed Dave to a quieter part of the club where the booths were, and people were sitting down and just chilling out. “Alright?” Alan said.

“Yeah, listen.” Dave ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I didn’t get you fired. It was my mate Fletch, yeah?”

“The one who screamed like a banshee,” Alan said in a deadpan voice, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“Yeah, that’s the ticket. Anyway, he thought you didn’t bother with the pizza and just chucked it at our door. My fault, because I was the one who left it there.” Dave let out a sigh. “I really didn’t know he called in to complain. So imagine my shock when I called for pizza again on Thursday and it was some Chinese bloke instead.”

Alan’s polite and civil demeanour had now thawed a little, and he was looking at Dave rather closely. “You called for pizza again?”

“Yeah.” Dave felt the tips of his ears turn warm. “Wasn’t quite done with you, I felt.”

Now Alan was grinning outright. “Well, I’m here now.”

“I’m sorry about your job,” Dave said sincerely, but Alan waved him off. “Did you manage to get another one?”

Alan gestured around the club. “Actually, thanks to you, I decided to stop wasting my time at delivery jobs and start trying to get regular paid gigs with my band. So Paul and I are going to audition for a couple of places. Wouldn’t have happened if Fletch didn’t get me fired, it gave me a kick right up the arse.” Now his fingers were playing with the hem of Dave’s shirt, and Dave couldn’t help thinking about how talented those fingers were.

“Great,” Dave said. “Didn’t really fancy the idea of you delivering pizza to all those other damsels in distress.” They both laughed, and Alan released his shirt.

“Well, I could still arrange private deliveries, if you’re so inclined.” Alan’s tone was normal, as though he was talking about what to have for lunch later, but the promise was so much more obvious in his eyes.

“Great.” Dave tilted his head towards the bar. “Let me get you a drink. Another vodka tonic alright?”

Alan grinned at him. “Beggars can’t be choosers,” he said, as they headed towards the bar, laughing along the way.


	2. Plumbing Services

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy Plumber Dave (much to my mortification). This is a direct continuation of the pizza story.

Alan wiggled his fingers a little. They felt rather stiff, but at least they weren’t numb like they were yesterday. He sighed, glaring at the cast on his wrist. Who knew that spraining his right hand would cause so much inconvenience? Suddenly everything took twice as long to do, from buttoning up his own shirt to cooking a packet of ramen noodles for dinner. Flood had helped when he was around, but he had left early this morning to visit his family for an emergency, so Alan was alone in the flat. Paul had come by earlier to bring him lunch and hang around for a chat, but other than Paul’s and Dave’s visits, it had been a boring three days for Alan. The only good thing out of this entire exercise was the fact that he had a whole week off from classes, thanks to the sympathetic female doctor he had flirted with at the outpatient clinic.

Also, it had given Dave a good excuse to continually pop by Alan’s place whenever he was free.

Alan smiled to himself. He and Dave had managed to meet up quite often after the gig at Club Bastille three weeks ago, and it had been great. Alan had also gotten to meet Dave’s flatmates, and he had been smirking when a red-faced Fletch gruffly apologised for the misunderstanding that had gotten Alan fired. Still, all thoughts of the reluctant apology had flown out of Alan’s head the moment they had locked themselves in Dave’s room. It seemed impossible for him to keep his hands off Dave, and Dave had repeatedly and vocally expressed his approval in Alan mauling him whenever he wanted. 

Alan really had no idea what this ‘thing’ was between the two of them, but he couldn’t bring himself to examine it too closely. Things were great now. Dave was beginning to be a good friend, and if they ended up in bed every single time they met up, so what? Alan certainly wasn’t stupid enough to stop it. He laid back in his chair, thinking back over yesterday evening when he had woken up to Dave’s hands all over him. Sighing, he closed his eyes. Dave was coming over later to help him with his blocked sink, so maybe Alan could repay him in kind. He cracked open an eye to glare at his bandaged wrist. Hopefully it would not impede things.

There was a hurried knock on the door, and Alan was already familiar with Dave’s rhythm of knocking. He got up, opening the door with his left hand. Dave was standing there in a white tank top and jeans, holding a small toolbox in one hand and a paper bag in the other. He nodded at Alan. “How’s the hand?”

“I’ve had worse.” Alan let him in, and as soon as the door closed, he tugged Dave closer for a welcoming, thorough kiss. He could sense Dave holding back, careful not to knock against Alan’s injured hand. When they finally pulled apart, Dave was breathless but a little concerned, frowning down at the bandaged wrist.

“It doesn’t look as bad as it did yesterday,” he said, gingerly picking up the hand and examining it, before slowly releasing it.

“Thank you for your diagnosis, Dr. Gahan.” Alan chuckled when Dave rolled his eyes. “C’mon mate, I’m just taking the piss. You know I appreciate the...things you do for me.”

Dave’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “I’m sure you do.” He set down the paper bag and toolbox, glancing in the direction of the kitchen. “Let me get the sink sorted, then I’ll see about supper. I brought more cheesy pasta for you.”

“That’s fine with me.” Frankly, Alan was a bit sick of the cheesy pasta, but he knew that was about the only quick-cooking vegetarian option that Dave could afford, and it was either that or pot noodles. He already appreciated the fact that Dave was looking out for him and bringing him food, while refusing to be reimbursed. “You want a drink?”

Dave waved him off. “I’ll help myself. You sit down and order me around.” Grinning, Dave walked over to the fridge and started drinking straight from the carton of orange juice. Flood would have thrown a fit if he’d seen that, but Alan himself didn’t much care. Besides, Dave was around so much that he and Flood were getting to know each other quite well, too. 

Alan watched Dave drink, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, and he tried not to maul Dave there and then. “Knock yourself out then, mate.” He sat down on the sofa again, where he had quite a good view of the kitchen. Once Dave was done drinking, he retrieved his toolbox, then made his way to the sink, crouching down and opening the cabinet doors. Alan let his eyes wander down the tattooed back, finally coming to rest on Dave’s tight arse in those jeans, and he couldn’t help daydreaming about all those times he had his hands on that spectacular bum.

He watched Dave turn off the water valve under the sink, then rummage through his toolbox for a small wrench. Once he found it, he seemed to frown as he tested a small valve beside the main one. Satisfied, he put back the small wrench and took out a bigger one, humming under his breath as he started to unscrew the U-shaped catchment pipe. At least, that was what Alan thought it might be called. He really had not much idea about home DIY repairs. Such problems were the concern of the superintendent, or Flood, who often ended up calling for a plumber in the end.

Alan watched Dave work, his back now covered with a fine sheen of sweat from the exertion. All kinds of fantasies were running through Alan’s mind now, and he desperately wanted to press Dave up against the wall and kiss the living daylights out of him, or better yet, bend him over the counter-top and fuck him until they were both spent. Alan tried to remember if they had any Vaseline left over from yesterday night. There was no point getting all worked up if they couldn’t do anything more than a handjob. Besides, with his right hand out of action, Alan would probably be really rubbish at stroking Dave off with his left, and he wanted to reward Dave properly for helping him.

After Dave had cleared out more gunk from the blocked catchment pipe, he screwed everything back into place, then turned on the valves again. Standing up, he tried the taps again, then watched to see whether the water was drained successfully. He let out a whoop. “Charlie, I think your sink’s fixed!”

“Yeah?” Alan got up and walked over to where Dave was washing his hands, looking over his shoulder. The water was no longer swirling around the basin, stuck like it had been for the past few days. It flowed beautifully down the drain hole, and Alan smiled. “You’re a genius.”

“You’re welcome.” Dave turned sideways to grin at him, but his grin softened when he realised how close Alan was to him. They stared at each other’s mouths for a while, before Alan leaned in and teased Dave’s mouth open, kissing him slowly and thoroughly. Dave had his eyes closed, his hands still gripping the sink as he let Alan plunder his mouth.

When they broke apart, Alan licked his lips with a grin. “Sorry, watching you get all hot and sweaty, playing with your tools..it was getting to me.”

Dave’s lips quirked up in a smirk. “You liked watching me fix your pipes?”

The line was so corny that Alan couldn’t help laughing, his forehead resting against Dave’s. It was lame, yes, but it endeared Dave to him even more. “You’re daft.”

“Maybe.” Dave turned to face Alan and they both got caught up in another kiss, Alan carefully keeping his right hand out of the way while his left one caressed Dave’s sweaty back.

“Fuck, ” Alan said, when they pulled apart for breath. He had now slipped his hand under the tank top. “Your back felt like this last night while you were fucking me.”

Dave’s eyes had gone dark with desire and lust. “Last night.” He seemed to have trouble breathing now, his hips bumping against Alan’s. “Fuck, that was fun. Couldn’t stop thinking about it all day, today.”

Alan’s hand left Dave’s back, now tracing the outline of Dave’s erection in his jeans. “I can see that.” 

“Al,” Dave growled, before nipping at Alan’s bottom lip. “Fucking need you.” There was a glimmer of concern in his eyes. “Your hand--”

“Sure didn’t stop us yesterday, did it?”

Dave smiled. “No, it didn’t. But I’d still feel a lot better if you had your hand somewhere safe, where I couldn’t knock it by accident.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Alan sighed as he reluctantly released Dave. “How could I not have seen that crazed pensioner on her little scooter?”

Dave snickered as he bent down, packing up his tools. “It still makes me laugh that the great Alan Wilder was mowed down by a little old lady half his size.”

“By her mobile scooter, mind,” Alan reminded him, but Dave was still chuckling. They walked out to the living room, where Dave deposited his toolbox on the coffee table, amidst a scattered stack of well-thumbed audiophile magazines. He plucked at his sweat-dampened tank top with a grimace. “Guess I should go change.”

“Why bother?” Alan said. “You’re going to get really sweaty again in a while.”

“Oh?” Dave crooked an eyebrow at him. “And how exactly would I be getting sweaty again?”

Alan pretended to shrug. “I can think of ways. Many ways.” He smiled a little as Dave edged closer towards him, his gaze fixed on Alan. Dave smelled of sweat, with the tiniest hint of his aftershave. Standing there, in his jeans and tank-top, all sweaty from an afternoon of physical labour, Dave seemed to be the epitome of manliness and masculinity. Alan licked his lips, and he noticed the way Dave’s nostrils flared when he did that.

“Al.” Dave’s voice was low and rough, and a little husky. “Come here.”

Alan stepped forward, and Dave smiled a little before capturing his mouth in a slow, sloppy kiss, nipping at Alan’s lips with soft little bites. They kissed for a good, long while, and when they finally pulled apart, panting and breathless, Dave quickly took his good hand and almost _yanked_ him to his bedroom. Alan tried not to look _too_ smug as he stumbled after Dave.

In the bedroom, Dave’s sweat-dampened tank top was quickly tugged off before he grabbed Alan and they resumed their kiss, and Alan could feel Dave running his hand up and down the arm of the injured hand, dragging his fingertips along the underside of Alan’s arm. It sent a pleasant shiver down his spine, and it occurred to him that he actually _liked_ this tender yet gruffly protective side of Dave he’d recently been privy to.

Pulling away, Dave quickly cleared some stray clothes left on the bed before tugging Alan down gently. “Come on, then,” he said, and Alan followed obediently, barely getting a second to lie down before Dave crawled on top of him, heavy and hot and sweaty, tipping Alan’s head to the side so he could kiss his neck. Alan couldn’t help moaning at the wet feeling of Dave’s mouth latching onto his skin, and his legs were already spreading apart to accommodate Dave in between them.

“Clothes,” Dave mumbled, and Alan agreed with a breathless nod which made Dave grin widely. Putting aside Alan’s injured hand and resting it on a pillow, Dave proceeded to quickly and efficiently strip both of them, tossing all the clothes aside. Alan already couldn’t wait, rubbing the sole of his foot against Dave’s backside, yearning for Dave to fuck him, and fuck him hard.

“What are you waiting for? Still want to ‘fix my pipes’?” Alan asked teasingly, and Dave barked out a short laugh before reaching for something on the side of the bed. This brought his chest parallel with Alan’s mouth, and Alan couldn’t help reaching up to lick one of those tantalizing nipples, scraping his teeth against that tight bud. He could hear Dave moaning above him, his cock leaking fluid all over Alan’s own chest, and that made his mouth water. He wanted to taste him, to taste Dave again.

Maybe it had to wait for next time, then, for Dave was crawling back down, spreading lube on his fingers and dipping them between Alan’s legs. Alan waited with bated breath, releasing it in a whoosh when he felt those fingers probing at his entrance. He spread his legs a little more, and Dave bit his lip as he stared down at him.

“You have no idea how you look like that,” he whispered, sliding a finger into Alan and watching him gasp. “How you look like, spreading your legs for me, so eager--"

Alan’s eyes fluttered shut in pleasure. “For fuck’s sake, hurry,” he hissed. “Don’t set me off.”

Dave nodded quickly, his dark hair tumbling down again, getting dampened by the sweat glistening on his forehead. Rummaging inside the bedside drawer again, Alan watched Dave tear open the condom wrapper with his teeth while he gave Dave’s straining cock a few strokes. Dave slowed down a bit to watch this, his tongue caught between his teeth, his eyes dark with need. When Alan let go, Dave dove down and gave him a rough, dirty kiss, one that silently promised Alan that he was going to get the fucking of his life. Alan hooked his legs around Dave’s waist, desperate and eager, his injured hand struggling not to move while his other hand was grabbing Dave’s firm bum like a lifeline.

Finally, Dave pulled away, shaking out the condom and putting it on. He winked at Alan as he squirted more lube onto his fingers and slicked some onto his own straining cock, then positioned the head against Alan’s entrance. “Ready?”

“If you don’t fuck me now, I might have to cuff you with my good hand.”

A strained chuckle. “Wanker.”

They locked eyes as Dave pushed in, slowly, slowly, right till he was buried to the hilt. By now, his pupils were so dilated that his eyes were almost black.

“Oh fuck, Al--” His lower lip was trembling, and Alan couldn’t help reaching up to brush a thumb against it, slipping it into his mouth.

“Move,” he managed to huff out, and Dave chuckled briefly, licking his thumb before moving down to kiss him again, his tongue thrusting in at roughly the same pattern as his cock. Alan felt a slight sense of pain and fullness, but Dave changed his angle of his hips and thrust in, hitting Alan’s prostate and making him see a burst of stars behind his eyelids.

“Oh, fuck!”

“Alan,” Dave gasped, thrusting in harder and faster, and Alan was arching up to meet Dave’s thrusts, thinking that it had never been this good, and hopefully it would always be this good, Dave above him like this, his eyes glinting with such feral intensity.

“Mind...the wrist...” Dave panted, and Alan watched as his hand slid down Alan’s stomach, a quick caress before his hand wrapped around Alan’s dripping erection, bumping against Dave’s taut stomach. “Oh God, Al, you feel so good--”

The combination of Dave pounding into his body like this while stroking his deliciously aching cock like this was too much, and Alan managed a strangled moan before he arched up one last time, surrendering completely to Dave, spurting all over his hand and their stomachs. “Fuckin’ hell,” Alan groaned, spiraling into utter bliss.

He was vaguely aware of Dave speeding up his thrusts, and a shout before he suddenly stiffened, his fingers gripping the sides of Alan’s hips hard enough to probably leave marks. He liked that – the idea of Dave marking him as his own.

Then Dave was slumping down onto the bed beside him, both of them groaning at the withdrawal. Dave’s face was redder than ever, and he was obviously trying to catch his breath. He was gesturing vaguely at Alan’s sprained wrist, which was still lying obediently on the pillow. “How’s...the hand?”

Alan himself was rather short of breath. “I’ll live.”

There was a breathless chuckle. “Good to know.” Dave draped a heavy arm over his chest, and before Alan could pretend to protest, Dave was already snoring loudly. Alan smirked at him, then let out a sigh. A contented one.

Sleep came very quickly after that.

***

For the following week, Alan found a few more appliances that needed ‘fixing’ or ‘touching up’, at least, and he thought it was really good of Dave to humour him and tinker about with the washer and dryer even when they were both working perfectly fine. After everything was ‘fixed’, Alan would use every excuse in the book to get a hot and sweaty Dave into bed, and to be honest, Dave didn’t really seem to need that much convincing. Things were really good, and Alan realised that a bloke could get used to being waited upon like this.

Then his stupid hand had gone and healed, of course, and as his doctor gaily removed the bandages, Alan watched her glumly and wondered if there really were any more excuses for Dave to visit his flat again. Flood was also now back from his family holidays, so their privacy was now gone as well. They had to get back to the reality of school, and work. Paul had been patiently waiting for Alan’s hand to heal so they could go for more auditions, and Dave had some major projects to turn in. Real life was beckoning, and Alan had already ignored it for as long as he could.

The conversation inevitably came up one night as they were sitting in Dave’s living room, eating Thai food and chatting quietly. Martin and Fletch had gone out for dinner and shopping, which gave Alan and Dave two hours of uninterrupted privacy. Alan spent these two hours wondering how to tell Dave that he had gotten used to seeing him about three or four times a week, and although they were both busy with school and work, he wanted to keep that level of frequency. 

“So when’s your next audition?” Dave asked, rooting about in his carton with his chopsticks for the last remaining scraps of _pad thai_.

“This Friday night,” Alan said with a sigh. “I’m dreading the drive up. I won’t be able to carry the equipment on my Vespa, so we’ll probably have to ride up with Paul’s cousin, whose van smells like cabbage.”

Dave chortled as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Sounds delightful. How about I take you instead?”

Alan quirked an eyebrow at him. “It’s this Friday,” he said, repeating himself when Dave still nodded, “Friday night.”

“Yeah, I’m meeting my prof in the afternoon, but I’m free afterwards. And Mart will loan us his car, I’m sure of that.” Dave cocked his head at him curiously, his eyebrows knitting together. “Why, you don’t want me to go?”

“No, it’s not that,” Alan said immediately, which eased Dave’s little frown. “I mean, I thought you might have plans. You sure you want to spend your Friday evening lugging about someone else’s equipment?”

There was a glint of amusement in Dave’s eyes. “That what they’re calling it these days?”

Alan rolled his eyes as Dave waggled his eyebrows at him. “I’m being serious.”

“So am I.” 

They stared at each other in silence, the air between them growing thicker with something that Alan was afraid to name. 

“There’re going to be more auditions,” Alan finally said, because he was on the verge of confessing something embarrassing, of asking for something that he wasn’t quite sure was his to ask for. 

“Yeah, and?” Dave had his chin tilted up in that stubborn way of his where he meant to get his way, like whenever he’d insisted Alan needed to rest his hand or take a study break.

“It’s going to be boring.” Alan was watching Dave closely, watching for the first signs of uncertainty or retreat. “I don’t want to put you through that.”

To his surprise, Dave laughed. “If you think your auditions are boring, then you clearly haven’t sat through Fletch’s half-arsed attempts to explain 21st century economics.”

“But really, I do mean--”

“Charlie.” Dave stopped him with a hand on his thigh, warm and possessive. “What are you up to?”

Alan’s heart was in his throat, his pulse racing. It was unlike him to be nervous, to be this unsure of his place. Flood and Paul would have had a good laugh if they ever knew there was someone who could disarm Alan like this, leave him dispossessed and wanting and, yes, terrified. “I don’t quite know,” he admitted, his gaze fixed on Dave’s hand splayed on his thigh. 

Dave could be utterly straightforward at the best – and worst – of times, so Alan was grateful when Dave took a good look at him and blurted out, “You like what we’re doing, yeah?” 

“Very much.” Alan was not above shamelessly taking refuge in the umbrella of Dave’s honesty.

“And you want to keep doing--” Here, Dave gestured between both of them. "--this?”

Alan nodded, relieved when Dave started grinning from ear to ear.

“Then there’s no problem, is there?” Dave leaned in, pressing a kiss against the corner of Alan’s mouth – but he kept it chaste, his eyes bright with amusement and something else Alan couldn’t identify, not yet.

They were interrupted when the door swung open, Martin and Fletch clattering in with shopping bags and more takeaways. “You lot still here?” Fletch said, winking at Alan which meant he was in a good mood. “Guess I should be grateful your trousers are still on.”

“Too late Andy, we just did it on your bed,” Dave said airily, as Martin burst into laughter and Fletch’s face turned an ashen grey.

“We’ve got some cupcakes from that new place on the high street.” Martin deposited a pink bakery box on Dave’s lap as he ooh-ed over it. Fletch was now handing Martin a few shopping bags from Pet Palace, which were most probably his attempts at atonement for the whole Miffles incident. 

“Which ones do you want?” Dave asked, offering Alan the box.

“Oh, it’s all right, there wouldn’t be enough to go around.” Alan was already feeling like he’d overstayed his welcome.

Martin was frowning quizzically at him. “Not enough? That box is just for you and Dave, mate.”

“Aw, cheers Mart.” Dave was beaming with pleasure. “You’re a love.”

“For me and Dave?” Alan echoed, staring at Martin in surprise. 

“Of course, you didn’t think the three of us could eat four each, could you?” Martin seemed a little incredulous as he set the rest of the bags down. 

“Fletch could, and has,” Dave declared, ducking when Fletch reached out for a friendly smack on the head.

“Mart always does this anyway,” Fletch explained, reaching over for a cupcake with a pineapple ring on top. “He buys Grainne – my girlfriend – food all the time when she’s here.”

The rest thankfully didn’t notice when Alan almost choked on his cupcake – thank God for small mercies – but Dave’s mouth was twitching up at the corners, as though the bastard were trying to hold back his laughter. His eyes met Alan’s, full of warmth and affection. Alan felt really, really daft for not spotting it before.

“You’re stuck now,” Dave whispered to him, as Martin and Fletch started having an animated discussion over the latest league matches. “Last chance to escape, mate.”

Alan looked over at Dave – lovely reliable Dave who’d been taking care of him ever since the first time Alan had sent pizza to their door – and thought that escape was the very last thing on his mind. Finally, Alan allowed the certainty of it all to settle into his bones, to propel them towards a future where Dave wasn’t going anywhere. “Think I’m fine right here,” he quietly said, basking in the brilliance of Dave’s smile.


End file.
